Kitten in a Trashcan + Announcing Daily Digest
Posted on September 3, 2018 Posted by John Scalzi 21 Comments
First, the kitten in the trashcan, because you always lead with the “A” material:
Why is the kitten in the trashcan? IT KNOWS WHY.
(And also, because kittens are kitten-y, and Smudge is more kitten-y than most, and jumping heedlessly into trashcans is just a thing kittens do.)
Second, for the non-holiday weekdays of September, I’m going to trying something that’s actually old here at Whatever. When I started the site, I would write a single daily “digest”-style column, covering (more or less) three to five topics and dedicating (more or less) two or three paragraphs to each, separated by asterisk breaks. It was a convenient way to organize things because I could cover a number of topics, but devote only the amount of space to them I thought was interesting and relevant.
I’m going to give this format another try through this month, for a couple of reasons. One, because at the 20th anniversary of Whatever, I think it’ll be fun to go a little retro for September, and two, because I think a digest-like column might actually fit my mind space these days more than discrete, longer pieces. Because of paid work and other factors, there are some subjects (like politics, but not only politics) that I’ve been avoiding here recently, and this format could give me an easier entree into them than needing to compose a longer piece on the topics.
These pieces will go alongside the Whatever 20/20 pieces and the several Big Idea pieces that will be up this month, so if all goes to plan there should be a fair amount of writing here in the month. And after September — well, let’s see how things go. If the digest format works for me, I’ll continue with it, alongside other things.
The point is, for me, I like writing here, and want to find ways to keep it interesting for me, and for you, while still keeping up all the other writing commitments that I have these days. Let’s see how this idea does for us all, shall we?
Because the kitten motto is just like the cat motto: “If I fits, I sits!”
You know that, John.
I’m sorry, but I didn’t read the rest of the blog after the kitten in the trash can pic. You were saying something? :)
KITTTEEEEEEE!!!!!
Oh, wait, did you have thinky bits, too? So very sorry, all I saw was the “A” material.
Well, no, that’s not true. After I squeed about Smudge, called the spouse over to see the photo and squeed some more, then I read the rest of the post. And I went “sqeeee” again, because one of my favorite writers is going to provide more commentary here than I’ve seen in a while, and that just pleases me immensely.
I completely realize that it’s not all about me – your house, your rules – but I have to admit that I feel just a bit left out when you focus more of your communications on platforms that I do not inhabit and less on the blog. I really appreciate your willingness to put a few more words out on Whatever, where non-twitterers and non-face-bookers can enjoy them as well. Whether it turns out to be a short-term thing for the anniversary month or a long-term change, either way, I appreciate it.
So thank you for the Smudge photo, and thank you also for giving me plenty to look forward to in September. (You’ve already got October covered with the next book release.)
“Man, now that’s real shame, when folks be throwin’ away a perfectly good kitten like that!” :)
Trashcan!? I thought it was The Kitten Channel on an old CRT TV. The Smudge Show perhaps. Or the Time Tunnel episode where a giant Smudge rearranges the future based on your novels.
Kitten in a trashcan
I know, I know
It’s serious
“Kitten in a trash can” has a nice foot to it. Probably a song in there somewhere.
Cute!
It’s been a bad summer. So bad that I’ve reached the point where you will all be almost as delighted as I was to discover that I did not, in fact, have resistant TB, so the months in hospital with the broken ribs, pneumonia, and ongoing treatment with the last resort antibiotics for the multi resistant pathogen I did have looked sort of good by comparison.
Of course, being grateful for false positives in the lab has taken up yet more time, so I didn’t know that Smudge existed. On the other hand, I can really, really relate to being in the trashcan – major empathy – so I’d like to thank you in the sure and certain knowledge that you hastily removed Smudge from said trashcan. And I’m really delighted to welcome Smudge, albeit apologetic for my delay in doing so. It’s great to be back.
I once threw my keys in the empty trash can. While I identify as felinesapient, I was drunk at the time.
The Bobs had a song called “Boy Around the Corner” whose title phrase scans nicely to “Kitten in the Trashcan.” That’s the song that I think of when my mind demands a song for this.
It does look like cat TV, the way the trashcan frames him! (And that’s a very clean trashcan too.) Looking forward to the daily digests.
I like the digest format. If you’ve got an interesting short thought, it makes sense to allow it to only take up as much space as it needs.
If I was feeling cleverer this morning I’d try to come up with some lyrics to the tune of
‘Canary in a Coal Mine,” but I’m not so you’re spared that.
Hah! My hind-brain kicked the English Beat’s “Mirror in the Bathroom” up as a match for Kitten in the trashcan and now I’m earwormed … only with alternate lyrics … Gahhhh!
uleaguehub: Even if they don’t fit. I have fond memories of a cat who loved sitting in things, even if they were smaller than he was. I have pictures of him lounging in a basket with one big leg spilling over onto the table. He just seemed to pretend that the leg didn’t exist.
Stevie: I’m sorry to hear you’ve been having such a bad time. Months in hospital, ugh! I hope your health trend is upward now. Welcome back.
JS: Looking forward to the digest.
BW
Thank you! And your cat defying reality is a cheering thought.
Someone with more time on their hands needs to write the lyrics of “Kitten In A Trashcan” to the tune of Mirror In The Bathroom” by English Beat. STAT!!!
“Kitten In a Trashcan” also scans well to Devo’s “Workin’ In the Coalmine”.
Kitten in a trashcan
goin’ meow meow
Kitten in a trashcan
Whoops! I fits I sits now…
Ah, youth — throwing themselves away on a whim…but dang, he’s cute. The Whatever is really fabulous when you’re not frantic busy with writing books, travel, all that whatever else you do. Good to see you having fun with it, and we are, too!
Stevie — good bloody grief, congratulations on surviving all that; hope you’re well and truly out the other side of it.
Kitten antics like Smudge’s is why we have a kitchen trash can with a locking lid. In our case because our Nova kept trying to climb into our trash can to get at scraps of food. Especially discarded bits of salmon.